New Frontiers for Project Management: Earth Science ... · PM World Library New Frontiers of Project Management: Earth Science, Monitoring the Planet & Climate Control PM World Collection

PM World Library New Frontiers of Project Management wwwpmworldlibrarynet Earth Science Monitoring the Planet amp Climate Control PM World Collection Editorial David L Pells

copy 2008 David L Pells Page 1 of 14

Originally published in PM World Today July 2008 ndash included in PM World Library with authorrsquos permission

New Frontiers for Project Management Earth Science

Monitoring the Planet amp Climate Control1 2

David L Pells

Professional project management (PM) continues to grow rapidly in usage and demand worldwide in most organizations and across all industries This is especially true in high technology organizations but in many other industries as well The world is also

rapidly changing due to the global economy climate change and other factors What do these changes mean to project-based organizations and PM professionals Many of these changes will offer new challenges and opportunities for individuals and

organizations involved with project management I believe there will be some significant new industries and major changes in existing

industries that will offer ldquonew frontiersrdquo for projects and PM around the world in the next 10-20 years Some of these new areas of PM application have been emerging slowly over the last decade but are now expanding rapidly due to other forces and

converging influences Other new frontiers are in traditional industries and sectors but based on new global information perspectives and awareness that are leading to new and massive investments in infrastructure And some frontiers are growing apparent

based on changing demographics and more inter-connected urban and global human populations and civil society

In my March 2008 PM World Today editorial I described Nanotechnology as a New Frontier for Project Management describing the many fields of science and industry that Nanotechnology is already affecting In my May editorial I discussed Future

Energy sources and projects as another New Frontier for project management a trend that is now accelerating as oil amp gas prices continue to increase as supplies are stretched and demand continues to grow As populations and economies grow the

demand for new sources of energy will result in many new projects and an increasing demand for professional project management

Another ldquonew frontierrdquo for projects and PM is also being affected by recent planetary changes and trends Over the last decade climate change global warming severe weather and natural disasters have focused global attention on the need to better

understand the Earth mankindrsquos impact on the planet and future options for improving both forecasting technologies as well as outcomes Many scientific projects and

1 Editorrsquos note Second Editions are previously published papers that have continued relevance in todayrsquos project

management world or which were originally published in conference proceedings or in a language other than

English Original publication acknowledged authors retain copyright This paper was originally published in the

PM World Today eJournal in 2008 It is republished here with the authorsrsquo permission

2 Editorrsquos note Since this paper was originally published some years ago some of the links to websites may no

longer be valid In that case conduct your own internet search on the topic




programs have been launched in the last few years to study climate change changes in the polar ice caps changes in the ocean and ocean currents weather patters the ozone and other topics At the same time earthquakes hurricanes floods tornadoes

tsunamis fires and other several weather causing huge natural disasters have focused attention on climatology meteorology oceanography seismology and other ldquoearth sciencesrdquo

This month I want to suggest another new frontier for PM a broad topic that might be grouped together as earth sciences monitoring of the planet and climateweather

management Climate control is the stuff of science fiction or is it I think it is still many decades away But over the next few decades mankind must invest in a better understanding of the planet and better tools and methods for predicting and preparing

for extreme weather Let us examine a few areas where this is already occurring and some implications for the project management profession

Earth Sciences ndash Learning more about the Earth Earth is a complex dynamic system that mankind does not

yet fully understand The Earth system is comprised of diverse components that interact in complex ways We need to understand the Earths atmosphere lithosphere

hydrosphere cryosphere and biosphere as a single connected system Our planet is changing on all spatial and temporal scales [4]

According to Wikipedia Earth science (also known as geoscience the geosciences or

the Earth Sciences) is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth There are four major disciplines in earth sciences namely geography geology geophysics and geodesyhellip Earth science generally recognizes 4 spheres the

lithosphere the hydrosphere the atmosphere and the biosphere These correspond to rocks water air and life Some practitioners include the cryosphere (ice) as a distinct portion of the hydrosphere and the pedosphere (soil) as an active intermixed sphere as

part of Earths spheres [1]

It is worth repeating here this additional information from the Wikipedia webpage on Earth Science describing disciplines and sub-disciplines in this general topic

Geology describes the rocky parts of the Earths crust (or lithosphere) and its historic development Major sub-disciplines are mineralogy and petrology

geochemistry geomorphology paleontology stratigraphy structural geology engineering geology and sedimentology

Geophysics and Geodesy investigate the figure of the Earth its reaction to forces and its magnetic and gravity fields Geophysicists explore the Earths core and mantle as well as the tectonic and seismic activity of the lithosphere




Soil science covers the outermost layer of the Earths crust that is subject to soil formation processes (or pedosphere) Major sub-disciplines include edaphology and pedology

Oceanography and hydrology (includes limnology) describe the marine and

freshwater domains of the watery parts of the Earth (or hydrosphere) Major

sub-disciplines include hydrogeology and physical chemical and biological oceanography

Glaciology covers the icy parts of the Earth (or cryosphere)

Atmospheric sciences cover the gaseous parts of the Earth (or atmosphere)

between the surface and the exosphere (~1000 km) Major subdisciplines are meteorology climatology atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics

A very important linking sphere is the biosphere the study of which is biology The biosphere consists of all forms of life from single-celled organisms to pine trees to people The interactions of Earths other spheres -

lithospheregeosphere hydrosphere atmosphere andor cryosphere and pedosphere - create the conditions that can support life [1]

Just this small introduction to Earth Sciences provides an idea of just how many topics Earth Science covers and how many projects might be underway in these fields Especially interesting is the list of organizations around the world dealing with the

various geosciences including geology geophysics oceanography and related fields [2] Included on the list are organizations based in most large and developed countries

In addition the list of topics and subtopics within the Earth Sciences field reveals a huge number of scientific topics [3] most of which are also the subject of study

research and projects at leading universities around the world

There are many national and international programs and projects underway related to earth science research In the USA NASA has established an Earth Science

Directorate to conduct and sponsor research collect new observations from space develop technologies and extend science and technology education to learners of all ages NASA works closely with global partners in

government industry and the public to conduct and sponsor research to answer fundamental science questions about the changes we see in climate weather and

natural hazards and help decision-makers make informed decisions The purpose of NASAs Earth science program is to develop a scientific understanding of Earths system and its response to natural or human-induced changes and to improve prediction of

climate weather and natural hazards [4]

Some Big Questions




Again referring to NASA the agency describes some ldquobig questionsrdquo that are driving humans to invest in earth sciences and space-based earth observation systems Here

are the big questions posed by NASA [5]

How is the global earth system changing - Earth is currently in a period of

warming In the last two decades the rate of our worlds warming accelerated and scientists predict that the globe will continue to warm over the course of the 21st century

What are the primary forcings of the earth system - The Sun is the primary

forcing of Earths climate system driving almost every aspect of our worlds

climate system and making possible life as we know it According to scientists models of Earths orbit and orientation toward the Sun our world should be just beginning to enter a new period of cooling -- perhaps the next ice age Humans

however are also a new force of change affecting earth systems Other important forcings of Earths climate system include such variables as clouds airborne particulate matter and surface brightness

How does the earth system respond to natural and human-induced changes -

The second law of thermodynamics compels Earths climate system to seek

equilibrium so that over the course of a year the amount of energy received equals the amount of energy lost to space The equilibrium can be affected by three things a change in the amount of incoming solar radiation change in the

abundance of greenhouse gases in Earths atmosphere and change in Earths reflective features Humans can influence only the latter two

What are the consequences of change in the earth system for human civilization - the temperature is rising faster now than at any other time in the history

of human civilization and such rapid climate change is likely to seriously stress some populations

How will the Earth system change in the future - As the world consumes ever more fossil fuel energy greenhouse gas concentrations

will continue to rise and Earths average temperature will rise with them Earths average surface temperature could rise between 2degC and 6degC by the end of the 21st century [5]

According to NASArsquos website these big questions are now driving program and projects

in space In other words NASA is funding projects and using project management to answer these questions Examples of NASA projects in the Earth Sciences directorate are mentioned below

Monitoring the Planet




There are many good reasons to study the planet and especially the weather and climate change According to NASA over the past 50 years world population has doubled grain yields have tripled and economic output has grown sevenfold Earth

science research can ascertain whether and how the Earth can sustain this growth in the future Also over a third of the US economy - $3 trillion annually - is influenced by climate weather space weather and natural hazards [4]

Earth Science Data Centers NASA uses Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) the data management and user services arm of NASAs EOSDIS to store and maintain

earth science data The data centers process archive document and distribute data from NASAs past and current Earth-observing satellites and field measurement programs Each center serves a specific Earth system science discipline NASArsquos

current list of DAACs includes the following [6]

Alaska Satellite Facility DAAC (ASF DAAC)

GSFC Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC Global Hydrology and Resource Center (GHRC) Langley Research Center DAAC

Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC) National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC (NSIDC DAAC) Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC (ORNL DAAC)

Physical Oceanography DAAC (PODAAC) Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC)

Each of these centers has hundreds of data processing and database related programs and projects involving hundreds of professionals and scientists around the world

Again quoting a NASA website In the area of community preparedness for disaster management NASA satellite missions make significant contributions in the area of hurricane and flood prediction National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) combines satellite-derived estimates of precipitation from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSMI) and from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) with winds from QuikSCAT Doing so substantially improves the accuracy of forecasts

for landfall track and intensity of hurricanes and increases the lead-time for warnings for both hurricanes and floods More accurate forecasts in turn enable improved decision-making leading to more enhanced community preparedness for these types of

events The potential socioeconomic benefits of many of

these applications are significant For instance by minimizing unnecessary emergency evacuation

measures improved hurricane forecasts save as much as $40 million for each event Similarly improved weather forecasting can save millions by

enabling utilities to better plan for anticipated energy requirements




For agricultural efficiency NASA is working with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to explore the benefit of predictions of El Nintildeo and La Nintildea events for management of farmlands Systems used to monitor and assess the health and

condition of crops and forests around the globe are being improved The value to US agriculture industry of a perfect El Nintildeo forecast is reported to be $320 million per year

To compete in the global economy of the 21st Century a healthy and vibrant aviation infrastructure is also needed NASA and other space agencies work to ensure a safe

secure efficient and environmentally friendly air transportation system through enhancements to aviation weather forecasting Weather is a contributing factor in approximately 30 of all aviation accidents and accounts for over 60 of all delays

experienced in the air transportation system Incorporating new more frequent and more precise satellite observations into weather forecasts leads to more accurate dependable and useful forecasts of threats to aviation including icing turbulence

convection and volcanic ash [7] According to the US Environmental Protection Agency on their Climate Change website

ldquothe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations

(IPCC 2007) In short a growing number of scientific analyses indicate but cannot prove that rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are contributing to climate change (as theory predicts) In the coming decades scientists anticipate that as

atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases continue to rise average global temperatures and sea levels will continue to rise as a result and precipitation patterns will changerdquo [8]

Important scientific questions remain about how much warming will occur how fast it will occur and how the warming will affect the rest of the climate system including

precipitation patterns and storms Answering these questions will require advances in scientific knowledge in a number of areas

Improving understanding of natural climatic variations changes in the suns energy land-use changes the warming or cooling effects of pollutant aerosols

and the impacts of changing humidity and cloud cover Determining the relative contribution to climate change of human activities and

natural causes

Projecting future greenhouse emissions and how the climate system will respond within a narrow range

Improving understanding of the potential for rapid or abrupt climate change

Addressing these and other areas of scientific uncertainty is a major priority of the US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) The CCSP is developing twenty-one Synthesis

and Assessment products to advance scientific understanding of these uncertainty areas by the end of 2008 [8]




Examples of Programs amp Projects

There are now thousands of projects underway in the Earth Sciences field Here are

just a few examples ESA ndash The European Space Agency (ESA) sponsors and coordinates a wide variety of

international programs and projects aimed at better understanding the earth the atmosphere climate change and other important issues affecting the planet For example GENESI-DR (Ground European Network for Earth Science Interoperations -

Digital Repositories) an ESA-led European Commission (EC)-funded two-year project is taking the lead in providing reliable easy long-term access to Earth Science data via the Internet [12]

ESF ndash The European Science Foundation (ESF) is an association of 77 member organisations devoted to scientific research in 30 European countries Since we were

established in 1974 we have coordinated a wide range of pan-European scientific initiatives and our flexible organisation structure means we can respond quickly to new developments ESFs core purpose is to promote high quality science at a European

level The ESF is committed to facilitating cooperation and collaboration in European science on behalf of its principal stakeholders (Member Organisations and Europes scientific community) This cross-border activity combines both top-down and

bottom-up approaches in the long-term development of science ESF provides grants sponsors projects organizes conferences and promotes international coopeartion on scientific research [13]

IPY ndash The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2009 is organized through the International Council for Science (ICSU)

and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and is actually the fourth polar year following those in 1882-3 1932-3 and 1957-8 In order to have full and equal coverage

of both the Arctic and the Antarctic IPY 2007-8 covers two full annual cycles from March 2007 to March 2009 and will involve

over 200 projects with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide

range of physical biological and social research topics It is also an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate follow and get involved with cutting edge science in real-

time [11]

NASA ndash According to the NASA Earth Science 2007 Senior Review the NASA Earth Science Division (ESD) of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is supporting 11 Earth




observing missions that are or soon will be operating beyond their prime mission lifetimeshellip data from several of these research missions are being used routinely by US and international operational agencies in support of important Earth system

prediction and monitoring tasks Those 11 missions include Aqua Jason QuickSCAT Terra MODIS TRMM CloudSat GRACE SORCE ICESat and EO-1 Each mission includes dozens of projects The FY 2009 budget for the Earth Sciences Division at

NASA is $14 billion [9]

NEESPI ndash The Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

(NEESPI) is a program based on cooperation between NASA in the USA and the Russian Academy of Science (RAS) that began in 2002 It is composed of scientists from the United States European Union

Russia Japan Ukraine Kazakhstan and Mongolia totally more than 90 individuals representing a broad academic community and a variety Earth Science disciplines Scientists from 11 countries are

now participating it is envisioned that many projects will be organized or sponsored by this group [14]

NOAA ndash The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a division of the US Department of Commerce sponsors and finances major projects NOAA is organized in the following divisions each of which sponsors many projects

related to studying the earth oceans and atmosphere National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service National Marine Fisheries Service National Ocean Service National Weather Service Office of Marine and Aviation Operations

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and Office of Program Planning and Integration [10]

NSF ndash The National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2000 colleges universities K-12 school

systems businesses informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the United States The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of federal support to academic institutions for basic research NSF receives approximately 40000

proposals each year for research education and training projects of which approximately 11000 are funded In addition the Foundation receives several

thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships [15] UNESCO - International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Geoscience in the service of

society - The IGCP is a cooperative enterprise of UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and has been stimulating comparative studies in the Earth Sciences since 1972 After three decades of successful work the International

Geological Correlation Programme continued as International Geoscience Programme Up to this day IGCP has made research results available to a huge number of scientists around the world with about 400 projects Visit

httpwwwunescoorgscienceearthigcpshtml

Predicting Extreme Weather




According to a special report recently published by the NSF in the United States Large-scale weather patterns which occur

in various locations around the Earth from the El Nintildeo-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the tropics to the high latitude Arctic Oscillation (AO) play a significant part in controlling the

weather on a seasonal time scale Knowing the condition of these atmospheric oscillations in advance would greatly improve long-range weather predictions Scientists search for

clues in the earthrsquos surface conditions such as tropical sea surface temperatures and snow cover at higher latitudes Reliable and accurate weather prediction is vitally important in numerous areas of society particularly agriculture and

water management and weather risks are evaluated by a wide range of businesses including power distributors who make fewer sales during cool summers and more sales during cold winters [16]

According to Wikipedia weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a future time and a given location Human

beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia and formally since at least the nineteenth century Weather forecasts are made by collecting quantitative data about the current state of the atmosphere and using scientific

understanding of atmospheric processes to project how the atmosphere will evolve Forecast models are now used to determine future conditions The chaotic nature of the atmosphere the massive computational power required to solve equations that

describe the atmosphere errors involved in measuring initial conditions and an incomplete understanding of atmospheric processes mean that forecasts become less accurate as the difference in current time and the time for which the forecast is being

made (the range of the forecast) increases The use of ensembles and model consensus help narrow the error and pick the most likely outcome [17]

A major part of modern weather forecasting is the severe weather alerts and advisories which weather services issue when severe or hazardous weather is expected This is done to protect life and

property Some of the most commonly known of severe weather advisories are the severe thunderstorm and tornado warning as well

as the severe weather or the tornado watch Other forms of these advisories include winter weather high wind flood tropical cyclone and fog Severe weather advisories and alerts are broadcast through

the media including radio using emergency systems as the Emergency Alert System which break into regular programming [17]

Some of the major users of weather predictions are the aviation industry and air traffic controllers those in marine related industries and activities utility companies the military news services governmental agencies and the general public For extreme

weather of course emergency readiness and response organizations pay attention Ultimately every local regional and national community and governmental organization has an interest in weather prediction Suppliers of technologies tools and




services for these processes cover a wide range of hardware software and information services entities both public and private

Meteorological organizations around the world provides a good list of organization most likely to have projects underway associated with weather prediction [18]

Managing the Earthrsquos Climate Faced with the specter of a warming planet and frustrated by the lack of progress

some scientists have begun researching ways to give humanity direct control over Earths thermostat Proposals run the gamut from space mirrors deflecting a portion of the suns energy to promoting vast marine algal blooms to suck carbon out of the

atmosphere The schemes have sparked a debate over the ethics of climate manipulation especially when the uncertainties are vast and the stakes so high For many scientists the technology is less an issue than the decision-making process that

may lead to its implementation

Environmental policy driven purely by cost-benefit analyses

cannot they say effectively point the way on large issues like climate change But even as many scientists caution against unintended even catastrophic consequences of tinkering with

climate they concede that the more tools humankind has to confront a serious problem the better Others wonder if the mere hint of a quick-fix solution will only provide a false sense of

security and hamper efforts to address the root problem carbon emissions from a fossil fuel-based economy And then theres the

trillion-dollar question In a politically fractured world how will technologies that affect everyone be implemented by the few the rich and the tech-savvy

When scientists talk about geo-engineering they generally mean subtracting a fraction of the suns energy from the earth equal to that trapped by human-emitted greenhouse

gases It is not a new idea but only recently has it moved toward the scientific mainstream In 2006 Nobel Laureate Paul Crutzen of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz Germany published a paper on injecting particles into the upper

atmosphere to reflect incoming sunlight and cool the earth Climate scientists have since run scenarios on climate models and first reports found that it might work In November 2006 NASA co-hosted a conference on the topic [19]

Planetary climate control or at least attempts to manage extreme weather is a topic that is ldquoon the tablerdquo now It may have been the subject of science fiction a few years

ago but it is a serious discussion today I believe that programs and projects will soon be launched to explore or even implement new approaches to affecting the weather I believe these programs will involve massive funds global cooperation and professional

project management Just as nations are now spending billions on astronomy and space exploration so too will we all be spending public funds on better meteorology weather prediction and climate management




The Potential Impact The potential impact of a better understanding of the earth our atmosphere and

climate is significant on many fronts While climate change and extreme weather have become highly visible topics in the media in recent years this year agriculture and food supplies has entered a near crisis stage primarily due to high energy costs According

to the United Nations (UN) upgrading and improving weather services will play an important role in helping ensure food security in poorer countries at risk from the impact of climate change and natural disasters

Speaking at a round-table discussion on food security in late June at the Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva World

Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Michel Jarraud (pictured at left) said enhanced preparation and awareness of meteorological problems and challenges would

allow policymakers to respond better once a disaster strikes

Mr Jarraud said WMO was working through its regional climate centres and other agencies to improve prevention and

preparedness measures including risk assessment early-warning systems and

emergency planning Natural disasters such as floods and droughts are among the biggest causes of what is

known as ldquotransitory hungerrdquo compared to poverty-induced ldquochronic hungerrdquo Although natural hazards cannot be avoided capacity-building and prevention measures can greatly reduce their impact and ensure that people have enough food stocks to last

them through a crisis [20] Both the UN and the World Bank have committed recently to investing in improving

meteorological services and weather forecasting capabilities in Africa

Some Resources Here are some useful and interesting resources related to Earth Sciences monitoring

the planet and weather management The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 geo-scientific and

professional associations that represents more than 100000 geologists geophysicists and other earth scientists Founded in 1948 AGI provides information services to geoscientists serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession plays a major role

in strengthening geoscience education and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in societys use of resources and interaction with the environment httpwwwagiweborgindexhtml




The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) is a center within the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York CIESIN works at the intersection of the social natural and information sciences and specializes in on-line

data and information management spatial data integration and training and interdisciplinary research related to human interactions in the environment httpwwwciesinorg

Earth Science Directory - a directory of earth science resources on the World-Wide Web - is built from a database which is constantly being expanded and updated It is

strongest in oceanography and meteorology and now contains 979 different links httpwwwdatasynccom~farrarearth_scihtml

Implications for Project Management

The broad implications of all of the above for project management should be obvious Thousands of projects costing billions of dollars are being launched today to better

understand the planet to predict the weather and future climate change and to develop models technology and information that can help humans better manage the planet in the future

Every organization involved in any aspect of these technologies and projects will need project management the larger ones (the

government contractors for example) will employ professional project managers and harness professional PM This is clearly a growing market for PM products and services and for

employment Public pressures to provide better weather predictions and to prepare for extreme weather are also propelling this sector And if extreme weather or climate change

can be ldquomanagedrdquo the pressure will only increase This discussion was not intended to be a comprehensive

assessment of climate change earth sciences or related issues or even the opportunities in this sector for project management It was however intended to suggest these fields as a new frontier where increased need and demand

for professional project management should be robust in the years ahead

In any case I am optimistic actually excited to see another important area of human activity where modern project management can make significant contributions

Good luck on your projects David L Pells

Managing Editor




References

1 httpenwikipediaorgwikiEarth_science 2 httpenwikipediaorgwikiList_of_geoscience_organizations 3 httpenwikipediaorgwikiList_of_basic_earth_science_topics

4 httpnasasciencenasagovearth-science 5 httpnasasciencenasagovearth-sciencebig_question_list 6 httpnasasciencenasagovearth-scienceearth-science-data-centers

7 httpnasasciencenasagovearth-scienceapplied-sciencesapproach-1 8 httpwwwepagovclimatechange 9 httpnasasciencenasagovearth-sciencemission_list

10 httpwwwnoaagovorganizationshtml 11 httpwwwipyorg 12 httpwwwesaintesaEOSEMDFQK26DF_index_0html

13 httpwwwesforghomehtml 14 httpneespiorg 15 httpwwwnsfgovfundingaboutfundingjsp

16 httpwwwnsfgovnewsspecial_reportsautumnwinterintrojsp 17 httpenwikipediaorgwikiWeather_forecasting 18 httpenwikipediaorgwikiList_of_meteorology_institutions

19 httpwwwcsmonitorcom20070329p13s02-stenhtmlpage=1 20 UN News Digest June 25 2008




About the Author

DAVID PELLS Managing Editor PM World Journal

David L Pells is Managing Editor of the PM World Journal a global resource for sharing knowledge related to program

and project management and Executive Director of the PM World Library He is also the president and CEO of PM World the virtual organization behind the journal and library and of PM World Services an executive PPM advisory firm David is an internationally recognized leader in the field of professional project management with more than 35 years of experience on a wide variety of programs and projects including engineering construction defense energy transit high technology and nuclear security and project sizes ranging from several thousand to ten billion dollars He has been an active professional leader in the United States since the 1980s serving on the board of directors of the Project Management Institute (PMIreg) twice David was awarded PMIrsquos Person of the Year award in 1998 and Fellow Award in 1999 He is an Honorary Fellow of the Association for Project Management (APM) in the UK Project Management Associates (PMA - India) and of the Russian Project Management Association SOVNET From June 2006 until March 2012 he was the managing editor of the globally acclaimed PM World Today eJournal David has published widely speaks at conferences and events worldwide and can be contacted at editorpmworldjournalnet




programs have been launched in the last few years to study climate change changes in the polar ice caps changes in the ocean and ocean currents weather patters the ozone and other topics At the same time earthquakes hurricanes floods tornadoes

tsunamis fires and other several weather causing huge natural disasters have focused attention on climatology meteorology oceanography seismology and other ldquoearth sciencesrdquo

This month I want to suggest another new frontier for PM a broad topic that might be grouped together as earth sciences monitoring of the planet and climateweather

management Climate control is the stuff of science fiction or is it I think it is still many decades away But over the next few decades mankind must invest in a better understanding of the planet and better tools and methods for predicting and preparing

for extreme weather Let us examine a few areas where this is already occurring and some implications for the project management profession

Earth Sciences ndash Learning more about the Earth Earth is a complex dynamic system that mankind does not

yet fully understand The Earth system is comprised of diverse components that interact in complex ways We need to understand the Earths atmosphere lithosphere

hydrosphere cryosphere and biosphere as a single connected system Our planet is changing on all spatial and temporal scales [4]

According to Wikipedia Earth science (also known as geoscience the geosciences or

the Earth Sciences) is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth There are four major disciplines in earth sciences namely geography geology geophysics and geodesyhellip Earth science generally recognizes 4 spheres the

lithosphere the hydrosphere the atmosphere and the biosphere These correspond to rocks water air and life Some practitioners include the cryosphere (ice) as a distinct portion of the hydrosphere and the pedosphere (soil) as an active intermixed sphere as

part of Earths spheres [1]

It is worth repeating here this additional information from the Wikipedia webpage on Earth Science describing disciplines and sub-disciplines in this general topic

Geology describes the rocky parts of the Earths crust (or lithosphere) and its historic development Major sub-disciplines are mineralogy and petrology

geochemistry geomorphology paleontology stratigraphy structural geology engineering geology and sedimentology

Geophysics and Geodesy investigate the figure of the Earth its reaction to forces and its magnetic and gravity fields Geophysicists explore the Earths core and mantle as well as the tectonic and seismic activity of the lithosphere






















Some Big Questions



























































natural causes






















time [11]



































































































Managing Editor




References











About the Author

























Some Big Questions



























































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Managing Editor




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About the Author






























































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natural causes






















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Managing Editor




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About the Author





















time [11]



































































































Managing Editor




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Managing Editor




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About the Author
















































































Managing Editor




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About the Author





























































Managing Editor




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Managing Editor




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About the Author






















Managing Editor




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About the Author







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About the Author







About the Author




Documents

New Frontiers for Project Management: Earth Science ... · PM World Library New Frontiers of Project Management: Earth Science, Monitoring the Planet & Climate Control PM World Collection